Press Release on the visit of the AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, the Bureau of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights and the President of the African Court to the Central African Republic

PR No 023/2014

AU Commissioner for Political Affairs visits
the Central African Republic

Bangui, 17 February 2014 – The African Union Commissioner for Political
Affairs, Dr. Aisha Abdullahi is currently undertaking a political mission in
the Central Africa Republic as part of African Union efforts at addressing the
crisis in the country. She is joined on her delegation by Justice Sophia Akuffo
of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights as well as Commissioners
Kayitesi Zainabo and Bechir M. Khalfallah of the African Commission for Human
and Peoples’ Rights.

The mission among other things is aimed at engaging
the transition government and other stakeholders in finding durable solutions
to the crisis in the country particularly by assisting the transition
government in ensuring peaceful return to constitutional order and also
addressing immediate humanitarian concerns in the country.

Further to this, the delegation will meet with various
stakeholders to garner support for the transition activities including efforts
towards building a new constitution which will ultimately lead to the electoral
processes as well as instituting strategic public service and state
institutions reforms.

This mission is a follow up to the assessment visit
undertaken by the Department of Political Affairs earlier in the year to assess
the state of happenings in the country. This follows an earlier consultation
held in Libreville between 17th and 19th September 2013
which reflected on possible political interventions by the African Union in the
Central African Republic.

During her visit, the Commissioner and her team will
meet with the President of the Transition as well as the President of the
National Council of Transition. Also, she will hold consultations with the
Prime Minister of Transition, African Ambassadors in the Central African Republic,
AU Special Representatives and Head of AFISM-CAR, National Authority on
Elections, civil society organisations and religious leaders as well.